Wednesday, July 22, 2015

We've heard it all too much, the Phillies fan base are apparently fed up with the All-Star closer, Jonathan Papelbon.

It's true that Jonathan Papelbon wanted to come here to win, he came to Philadelphia for a lot of money also. But where did things go all wrong with someone who has the most Phillies saves ever?

Well, to start off, J Pap has his peculiar ways. You could even go as far to say strange ways. He looks as if he just stepped off of another planet sometimes in interviews after a game and just in general, he's a bit odd.

He gets the job done on the field though, and with all of those saves, he has earned the all-time record for the total amount of Phillies saves now at 123 as of today's win at Citizen's Bank Park. So I am still examining why we don't as fans see eye to eye with a great Phillies pitcher like Papelbon.

There was the incident, with the fan or fans who heckled Pap from the stands. It never was reported what was said, but if you've ever sat around them, some baseball fans can get very abusive when they hurl insults in the direction of a player on the field. There was a grab by Pap towards the fan, and of course the grab was described as being one that was obscene in nature as well.

That move wasn't directed at every Phillies fan, mind you, but it was taken out of context by fans who didn't appreciate it. From that moment on, Pap was in a different league among fellow Phillies players.

Back up to the All-Star weekend now, Papelbon was very vocal in the press, he wanted out, and he was willing to listen to other teams that he may want to be traded to. Still more uproar from the fan base, how could a Phillies player want to leave this team?

Can you honestly blame him? he demostrated today that he wants to win, he tackled Odubel Herrera like a linebacker after Odubel got the game winning hit. The guy thrives on winning, you can see that today more than anytime.

So is it about time, we start to take Papelbon for the player he is, and understand that the man just wants to win?